Tuesday, July 31, 2007

The Imus-Esiason Mystery continues...Living in the media capital of the world is a blessing. The on-going information gathering process is overwhelming. Case in point - when that steam pipe burst on Lexington Avenue and 41st Street recently it took 20 minutes from the time the local media first started covering it, to become the lead story in the world on the Internet. The lead story! If there's anything worth finding out about you'll usually find out about it in New York first where many stories originate but this Imus-Esiason thing is driving me nuts...Within the last 10 days there's been a glut of stories circulating about the imminent return to radio by Don Imus. There's also been a glut of items about former star quarterback Boomer Esiason replacing Imus on WFAN. If Esiason replaces Imus on WFAN then where does Imus go? Satellite is a good guess which would mean Sirius, based in New York. XM with Washington studios is out of the question because the I-man would never leave New York. So what's the real story???Two places you won't find out are the websites of both Imus and Esiason. http://www.boomeresiason.com/ is a great website filled with terrific pictures of Boomer in action and anything and everything Boomer except whether or not he's going to WFAN. Going to http://www.donimus.org/ the "website dedicated to the good works of Don & Deirdre Imus" won't tell you anything either with most of it dealing with the "charity and philanthropy" involved in the Imus Ranch and other groups they're involved with. What I did find interesting were the following headlines included in the Imus home page: Boomer Esiason close to replacing Imus on WFAN, Imus Talks with CBSContinue and CBS, Imus Agree to Buyout Settlement. I love it. Nothing on Boomer's website and rumours in headlines on the Imus website...I know we'll find out eventually where Imus lands but if anyone knows the real story, drop me an e-mail so I'll be able to sleep tonight. Thank you...10 Timeline Memories:

1948] Idlewild about Harry: President Harry S. Truman helps dedicate Idlewild International Airport (later changed to JFK) with New York Governor (and soon to be opponent in the presidential election) Thomas E. Dewey and Mayor William O'Dwyer in attendance with live radio and TV coverage...

1964] "Happy Trails": Country singer Jim Reeves dies when the single-engine Beechcraft he was piloting goes down during a violent thunderstorm near his home in Nashville. His business partner and manager Dean Manuel is also killed. "Gentleman Jim" was just 40. Just 4 months earlier he performed in Norway and here's a clip of Jim singing "I Love YouBecause": http://youtube.com/watch?v=nECoA-uVGfw ...

1972] McGovern picks Eagleton as running mate: Of course the rest of the story involves Sargent Shriver replacing Eagleton because of his fragile mental health...

1976] Real Golden Gloves: The U.S. picks up 5 gold medals in boxing at the Montreal Olympics. Sugar Ray Leonard, Michael Spinks, Leon Spinks, Howard Davis and Leo Randolph are the winners of the gold awards. Sugar Ray and Leon Spinks will become pro-boxing champions...

1981] Back to work: The 7-week baseball players strike comes to an end when the players and owners agree on the issue of free agent compensation...

1990] Joining the 300 club: Nolan Ryan becomes the 20th major league pitcher to win 300 games as his Texas Rangers beat the Milwaukee Brewers 11-3. The Mets Tom Glavine hopes to join that club tonight in Milwaukee...

1997] Busted: New York City police seize 5 bombs believed bound for terrorists attacks on subways...

Music Memories:

1968] Recording finished on this date: "Hey Jude" is completed by the Beatles at Trident Studios in London...

1979] Live in Central Park: James Taylor plays a free concert to help the city's campaign to restore the parks' Sheep Meadow...

[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in each timeline]...

Commentary...

We begin with "Happy Trails" to former 49ers genius coach Bill Walsh who lost his battle with leukemia at the age of 75. Walsh is credited with the West Coast offense which features short, pin-point, high-percentage passes. During his Hall of Fame career he won 3 Super Bowls even though his coaching career didn't start until he was 47. Walsh, a father figure for many players including HOF QB Joe Montana also coached Stanford University...Many of you commented on the passing of Tom Snyder. Thank you for your thoughts. Rather than run all your comments, I've chosen one e-mail to post, from Norm N. Nite: "I really remember Tom Snyder, for not only was I a guest on his show on four different occasions but I threw a birthday party for him on May 12, 1978 with about 200 guests including Earl Wilson. I hung out with his producers Bruce McKay and Andy Friendly a lot at the time. Some great memories. One of Tom's other producers is Debbie Vickers, who now produces Jay Leno's show. All thebest and "Rock On!", Norm N. Nite...Thank you Norm...

Monday, July 30, 2007

Remembering Tom Snyder...Tom Snyder was already a TV pop icon when I joined WNBC as program director in 1976. He was into his 4th year as host of "Tomorrow with Tom Snyder". His office was on the same floor as the radio studios and I would often see him when I left the office. We would exchange greetings and he would always say something like "Ah, you radio guys have it made", referring to my leaving at a time when he was just beginning his day in preparation for his late night show. I held in check my temptation to compare salaries, deciding not to get into a dialogue that I would inevitably lose to a master of put-downs. Not that Tom was like that to the radio staff. Far from it - he appeared to be just a regular guy. The trouble was he always had that stone-face on and you never knew when he was being serious...Some years later, about 1979 or '80 when I was doing promotion for CBS International I took Nina Hagen over for a taping of "Tomorrow" and introduced the two. Now before I give you the rest of the story, if you're not familiar with Nina Hagen, she was a cross between Clarabelle the Clown and Marilyn Manson. I believe her hair was orange at the time although it could have been purple which she often liked wearing. On top of her outfit was an apron of aluminum foil. I guarantee you that Snyder had never met anyone looking like Nina Hagen who at the time had a version of Frank Sinatra's "My Way", her way. As stone-faced as ever Tom holds his hand out like an English baron and says "Pleased to meet you Miss Hagen". It was hard keeping a straight face but he didn't even crack a smile. Nina Hagen got bounced from the show that night because Johnny Rotten a.k.a. Johnny Lydon went over his allotted time. I found this video clip of Tom and Johnny Rotten from one of their classic encounters. This one from 1980: http://youtube.com/watch?v=_BZ2UoBZzEI ...I remember going to Tom's website which he started a few years ago in which he revealed that he was battling lymphocytic leukemia which his doctors told him was "treatable". I sent him an e-mail wishing him well. I would go back to the website from time to time to read his personal musings which I enjoyed but sometime last summer he ended that website making me wonder how his health was. This morning I found out. Tom Snyder died yesterday from complications of leukemia at 71. "Happy Trails" Tom and thanks for entertaining us until the end...10 Timeline Memories:

1956] Our motto is born: By order of Congress and approved by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, "In God We Trust" becomes our national motto...

1960] Pats win...Pats win...Pats win: In the 1st American Football League pre-season game, the Boston Patriots beat the Buffalo Bills 28-7...

1970] De-Kleining: The Rolling Stones fire Allen Klein as their business manager...

1975] Poof: Former Teamster Union president Jimmy Hoffa disappears in suburban Detroit. Although presumed dead, his remains have never been found...

1990] The Boss is banished: Yankees principal owner George Steinbrenner is ordered by the Baseball Commissioner to resign for hiring a private detective (Howie Spira) to spy on outfielder Dave Winfield. Although banned for life, he is reinstated in 1993...

1998] "Happy Trails":Buffalo Bob Smith, Howdy Doody's daddy, dies of lung cancer at 80. I had a picture taken with Smith and Howdy when they visited CBS-FM shortly before his death and he looked like the picture of health. Here's a Colgate commercial done by Buffalo Bob and Howdy: http://youtube.com/watch?v=WWt7RJ3mWoY ..2003] Sun Records founder Sam Phillips who discovered ElvisPresley, dies of respiratory failure in Memphis at 80...

2000] Wedding Bells: Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt walk down the aisle. They will divorce in 2005...

2003] The last Beetle: In Mexico the last 'old style' Volkswagen Beetle rolls off the assembly line...

2006] Stopping the "Top": The world's oldest and longest running music show "Top of the Pops" is broadcast for the last time on BBC Two. The show had run for 42 years...

Music Memories:

1966] #1 on this date: "Yesterday...and Today" LP - Beatles...

1971] Released on this date: "Bangladesh" - George Harrison...

[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in each timeline]...

Commentary...

"Happy Trails" to legendary film director Ingmar Bergman who died last night at the age of 89. His daughter Eva Bergman said her father had passed away "peacefully". Bergman is considered to be one of the most influential film directors of the 20th century. Bergman was widely acclaimed for "The SeventhSeal" and "Fanny and Alexander" which won four Oscars, including 'Best Foreign Language Film' in 1982...Also "Happy Trails" to former major leaguer and coach Bill Robinson whose body was found in a Las Vegas hotel room where he was visiting the Dodgers' minor league team. Robinson was 64...

Friday, July 27, 2007

Does anyone really meet at the water cooler anymore? It's more likely the coffee wagon, Starbucks or in someones office. Wherever you meet you're likely to be talking about a variety of things like when A-Rod hits his 500th home run will it really be his 500th or his 493rd and will his 499th really be his 500th? The Yankees play the rest of a suspended game with the Orioles tonight in the 8th inning. Should he hit a home run before the end of that suspended game it will count as his 493rd since a suspended game is as Yogi would say, "Not over untilit's over". I for one hope it happens just so there's controversy with Alex Rodriguez even when he hits his 500th home run. Can you imagine the headlines???

You might be talking about the two astronauts who according to an independent panel, were involved in "heavy use of alcohol" before launch although their drinking was within the standard 12-hour "bottle-to-throttle" rule. How would you like to be on that flight? If that wasn't a big enough blow to NASA, word came that a worker had sabotaged a computer set for delivery to the international space station. What's going on here???

56-year old Wake Forest basketball coach Skip Prosser went for a jog yesterday and suffered a sudden massive heart attack. Poof. Gone. A real tragedy involving a young and very good coach who will be missed. There's another health issue involving a famous person. 69-year old singer Etta James is in stable condition after suffering complications during abdominal surgery (in June) in Los Angeles. Our best wishes for a speedy recovery go out to a great singer of the blues and R&B...

There's plenty of talk and mostly good revues about "The Simpsons Movie" which premieres today. One movie critic actually called it "almost apologeticallyfunny". We'll end our "water cooler" talk there on a high note. After more than 400 episodes of "The Simpsons" ranging from 'good to spectacular' how bad can this movie be? The only thing you'll be missing is your couch...

10 Timeline Memories:

1940]Debuted on this date: Bugs Bunnymakes his 1st appearanceon the silver screen in "A Wild Hare". Bugs was the would-be dinner for frustrated hunter Elmer Fudd. The voice of Bugs Bunny was supplied by Mel Blanc who also created the voices or sounds of: Road Runner, Sylvester and Tweety Bird and many other cartoon characters...

1959] A league of his own: Attorney William Shea announces the formation of the Continental League and the promise of bringing a baseball team to New York in 1961 (Major League Baseball did not want competition from another baseball league and decided to allow New York a new franchise in 1962). The New York Mets were born thanks to Branch Rickey, Shea andothers. This was Rickey's goal all along...

1960] Nixon's the One...VP Richard Nixon is nominated for President at the Republican national convention in Chicago (one of the funniest signs seen at the convention was a pregnant Republican delegate with a "Nixon's TheOne" sign on her belly)...

1965] Now you've been warned: The Federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act was signed into law. The law requires health warnings on all cigarette packages...

1976] "D-I-V-O-R-C-E": Tina Turner files for divorce from Ike Turner (Tina, what took you so long ?). They were married 18 years...

1976] Home Sweet Home: John Lennon is granted permanent residency in the U.S...

1986] Tour de winners: Greg Lemond is the 1st American to win the Tour de France...2003] Lance Armstrong becomes the 2nd cyclist in history to win the Tour de France 5 times in a row...

1992] A Celtic Tragedy:Reggie Lewis dies after collapsing on a BrandeisUniversity basketball court during practice. He was 27 years old...

1996] Dropping a bomb: A homemade bomb explodes in Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta (GA), killing one person and injuring over 100. The games continued and a suspect (Richard Jewell) was charged in the case in 2003...

2003] "Happy Trails": Legendary comedian Bob Hope dies at the age of 100...

Timeline Countdown: 2 days until BB HOF induction, 3 days until all NFL training camps are open and 8 days until NFL HOF induction...

Saturday, July 28, 2007...

10 Timeline Memories:

1945] Empire is hit: A U.S. bomber crashes into the 79th floor of the Empire State Building, killing 14 and injuring 26. The building only sustained minor damage...

1973] Wedding Bells: Lee Majors and Farrah Fawcett tie the knot (and in time will tie each other's neck in a knot). The couple separates in 1979 in an "on-again, off-again" relationship...

1978] Heeeeeeee's back: At Old Timer's Day at Yankee Stadium it's announced that Billy Martin will return as Yankee manager in 1979 (I remember being at this game. My jaw didn't shut for a week after this bizarre announcement)...

1987] So Sue me: The remaining members of the Beatles and Yoko Ono sue Nike from using "Revolution" in one of its sneaker ads without permission or paying for it. An out-of-court settlement is made at an undisclosed amount...1995] A settlement returns the rights to Jimi Hendrix's estate to his father. The ruling includes all unmastered tapes, concert recordings, photographs and other personal possessions...

1991] A pair of perfectos: Texas pitcher Kenny Rogers pitches a perfect game against California, 4-0...1994] Three years to the date in 1994, the next perfect game is pitched by Montreal's Dennis Martinez against the Dodgers...

1995] A life sentence: A jury in Union (SC) rejects the death penalty for Susan Smith, sentencing her instead to life in prison for drowning her 2 young sons...

1998] Blanket immunity: Monica Lewinsky is given blanket immunity from prosecution in exchange for grand jury testimony in the investigation of her, er, relationship with President Bill Clinton...

1999] Curtains: Detroit running back Barry Sanders, in the prime of his career, retires after 10 years at the age of 31 (a lot of teams would sign him today if they could)...2000] Kathie Lee Gifford makes her final appearance as co-host of "Live with Regis and Kathie Lee" (it's hard to believe but the world is still surviving without Kathie Lee)...

2004] Kerry's the one: The Democratic National Convention in Boston nominates Massachusetts Senator John Kerry for president (Vietnam veterans drop what they're doing and call information for the number of the White House)...

Timeline Countdown: One day until the induction of Cal Ripken Jr. and Tony Gwynn at the Baseball Hall of Fame, 2 days until all NFL training camps are open and 7 days until the NFL HOF induction...

Sunday, July 29, 2007...

10 Timeline Memories:

1957] Paar for the course: Jack Paar becomes the new host of the "Tonight Show". Paar will host until 1962 and the arrival of Johnny Carson...In this video clip Paar visits with his replacement Johnny Carson: http://youtube.com/watch?v=OKIyWMR9rz8 ...

1966] Rock and Roll Wreck: Bob Dylan crashes his motorcycle near his home in Woodstock, breaking his neck. He remains in critical condition for a week. When he recovers he becomes a recluse for months...

1974] "Happy Trails": Mama Cass Elliot dies from heart failure in London at the age of 32 (reports that circulated for years about her choking on a ham sandwich were bogus according to the coroner)...Mama Cass singing "DreamA Little Dream of Me" on "The Smothers Brothers Show": http://youtube.com/watch?v=vZPmZ64m3_4 ...

1981] Royal Wedding Bells: England's Prince Charles, 32 and Lady DianaSpencer, 20, tie the royal knot at St. Paul's Cathedral in London (the royals will divorce in 1996)...

1987] Life is just a bowl of cherries: Ben & Jerry introduce a new flavor in honor of the Grateful Dead's Jerry Garcia: "Cherry Garcia", still their #1 best-selling flavor. Many assume that they created the flavor after Garcia died...not true...

1989] "Worst Trade": Texas Rangers' owner George W. Bush makes what he describes as his "worst trade": Sammy Sosa and 2 lesser players for Harold Baines (a pretty good hitter) and the immortal Fred Manrique. Sosa will only hit about 400 home runs after the trade. (Best butchering of Sosa's name was made by Teddy Kennedy who called him "Sammy Sowsa" and then corrected it to "Sammy Soosa")...

1993] Ivan the Free: The Israeli Supreme Court acquits retired Ohio autoworker John ("Ivan the terrible") Demjanjuk as a Nazi death camp guard...

1998] Right you are: Miramax buys the rights to the Beatles film, "A HardDay's Night"...

1999] Blood Bath: A day trader opens fire in 2 Atlanta brokerage offices, killing 9 and wounding 13. He then turns the gun on himself. Earlier in the day he had killed his wife and 2 children...

2003] Two Salami's, no waiting: Bill Mueller of the Red Sox becomes the 1st player in major league history to hit grand slams from both sides of the plate in a single game which the Sawx win 14-7 over Texas...

Music Memories:

1959] Recorded on this date: "Shout" - Isley Brothers...

1961] On the road again: Dick Clark premieres his "Dick Clark Caravan ofStars" at Atlantic City's Steel Pier. The show goes on the road with ChubbyChecker, Duane Eddy, Bo Diddley and others and becomes a summer staple...

1978] Released on this date: 1978] "Whenever I Call You Friend" - KennyLoggins/Stevie Nicks...

Thursday, July 26, 2007

No matter who you talk to - friends, family and co-workers (some of whom quite possibly are friends) the biggest computer complaints those folks talk about are, in no particular order: pop-up ads and how slow their computers are. It looks like help is on the way as far as computer speed is concerned. Pop-up ads are like roaches. It doesn't matter if you block them or not, somehow they manage to find your computer...

Just yesterday Intel announced a breakthrough in data-carrying light that holds the promise of being able to transmit terabits of data per second on a single chip, making it possible to one day develop computers capable of downloading full-length movies in seconds as well as perform other data-intensive tasks. What researchers at Intel's Photonics Technology Lab have done is build a key component needed for a silicon-based photonic integrated circuit. That component is a silicon optical modulator that can encode data on an optical beam at 40 billion bits per second...

I don't know beans about the technical end of computers but 40 billion bits per second sounds pretty fast to me. And when will this magic potion be available Dr. Bones? The operative words from Intel are "one day".There's no time table from Intel yet but when that day comes we will have the ability to transmit terabits of data per second. Bring it on Intel. I'm ready...

10 Timeline Memories:

1775] P.O.ed: A postal system is established by the Second Continental Congress. The 1st Postmaster General? Someone you may have heard of: Benjamin Franklin...

1908] Not Napoleon: Attorney General Charles J. Bonaparte issues an order creating an investigative agency that will become the FBI...

1948] Bambino sighting: Babe Ruth is seen publicly for the last time, attending the premiere of "The Babe Ruth Story" in Manhattan...

1953] They say you want a revolution: Fidel Castro begins his revolt against Fulgencio Batista with an unsuccessful attack on an army barracks in eastern Cuba. Castro eventually outsts Batista 6 years later...

1968] Hey Jules: Paul McCartney writes a song in tribute to Julian Lennon while dad John adds his finishing touch to it on this date...

1981] I started to choke: New York Mayor Ed Koch is given the Heimlich maneuver when he chokes on food at a Chinese restaurant. It saves his life. The Bee Gees sing about it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2HOiMeDOrs ...

1984] Blue busted: Baseball Commissioner Bowie Kuhn suspends pitcher Vida Blue for the remainder of the season for cocaine possession...

1984] Debuted on this date: The Prince movie "Purple Rain" premieres in Hollywood...

1987] Going to Hall: Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame are CatfishHunter, Billy Williams and Ray Dandridge (from the Negro Leagues)...1997] Giants owner Wellington Mara and Dolphins coach Don Shula are inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame...

I can't remember a worse week for sports. The leader of the Tour de France was disqualified yesterday, the NBA gambling fiasco is heating up as are dogfighting charges against Michael Vick, with Barry Bonds approaching Hank Aaron's home run record and still being investigated for steroid use, Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig is ambivalent about witnessing the record but will, Gary Player says he knows golfers are using steroids. What else can happen? Ah, but there are also two good landmark occasions about to be witnessed. A-Rod, the player everyone loves to hate is one home run away from 500 and Tom Glavine, one win away from the highly coveted 300 winner's circle for pitchers and a ticket into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Speaking of which, we will witness the induction this weekend of two new worthy members of the hallowed hall: CalRipken Jr. and Tony Gwynn....

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

The Good...The Bad...The Ugly of the Month...The GoodPrevious weekly winners and current candidates include: Tiger Woods (voted America's favorite athlete), Ichiro Suzuki (All-Star game MVP) and Troy Brown who signed for his 15th season with the New England Patriots. Ah but we have some newcomers, like Lawrence Frank of the Nets, signed to a multiyear contract extension for guiding his team to the playoffs each of the four years he's coached them. Mets broadcaster and Hall of Famer Ralph Kiner who was honored at Shea Stadium over the weekend. Kiner was part of the original three-member team of broadcasters dating back to 1962. 48-year old Julio Franco found a new job with his old team, the Atlanta Braves after being released by the Mets. A good thing. Islander coach Al Arbour re-surfaced. The winningest coach in franchise history will get to coach the team one more time. Arbour signed a one-day contract and will coach the Isles against Pittsburgh on November 3. Hey maybe Mario will lace 'em up again one more time that day. And finally major league players voted George Steinbrenner the best owner in baseball in a Sports Illustrated poll. Coincidentally they voted Kansas City owner David Glass the worst owner. Or to put it into perspective, guess the names of the highest and lowest paying teams in baseball. You got it - the Yankees and the Royals. So much for the credibility of that poll. I'm going with the guy who has spent the last 45 years of his life describing some really bad games like that 120 loss season back in '62 but with some good seasons sprinkled in too, especially 1969, 1973, 1986, 2000 and a few others: Ralph Kiner is our "Good AwardWinner of the Month"...The BadPrevious weekly winners and current candidates include Toledo pitcher RomanColon (for punching a teammate), Gosder Cherilus and Mass. State trooper Joseph Boike for beating up a sportsbar customer near North Station and former NBA player Lonny Baxter (arrested for shipping guns out of state). What's the charge for shipping guns in state? Let's start with steroids. Former pro-golfer Gary Player rocked his sport by saying he knows at least one player taking steroids and following with "I know there are golfers doing it, whether it's HGH, creatine or steroids." Player, of course refused to rat out the player(s). Then there's Oakland safety Jarrod Cooper who's being suspended for 4 games without pay for violating the NFL's policy on using the stuff. Then there were non-steroid related offenses, like a DUI charge against Montana's J.D. Quinn who transferred from Oklahoma after getting kicked off that team, a marijuana charge against Atlanta Falcon Jimmy Williams and a domestic violence arrest for former NFL player Chad Eaton. This is very close but I will go with ex-Boston Eagle player Gordon Cherilus and Mass. State trooper Joseph Boike for putting that sportsbar customer in the hospital. Cherilus is 6'7" and Boike is, well, a state trooper. He also is co-owner of a bar to stay away from: The Greatest Bar...The UglyI won't even bother to name the previous weekly winners because this competition was over before it started. The "Ugly Award Winner of the Month" is NBA referee TimDonaghy. Unless you've been hanging out with Lindsay Lohan you know what Donaghy did. He bet on any game he could find action on including the games he was officiating. What he should really do is wonder what the odds are that he'll ever work again or better yet join Lindsay in rehab. Gambling is a problem, after all. The latest installation in this horrible mess is the press conference held yesterday by NBA Commissioner David ("I'll never smile again") Stern. I've seen happier eulogies. Congratulations Tim. You made Pete Rose look good overnight. Do I have to say there will be more on this story???TGTBTU UpdateThe sons of Eagle Coach Andy Reid are back in the news. Garrett, 24 and Britt, 22, are due in court today for a status hearing on their 'James Brothers' rampage and word is they could plead guilty on a lesser charge which currently involve drugs, assault and traffic charges...Those four U of Minn. players investigated in a sexual assault case were kicked off the team...Marlins pitcher Scott Olsen is at it again. He was arrested on a DUI, tried to run away until cops used a stun gun on him...then there's Michael (woof woof) Vick and the dog-fighting on-going investigation. The NFL told him to stay away from Falcons training camp until, oh I don't know, he stops raising dogs to fight and perhaps strangling and electrocuting some. Is that too much to ask? The Barry Bonds investigation continues while he chases Hank Aaron. I liked Bud Selig'sJon Lovitz impersonation explaining whether or not he will attend the record breaking game and finally Dolphin linebacker Joey Porter will lose about $150,000 but not be suspended for popping Bengals tackle Levi Jones at a Las Vegas casino back in March...10 Timeline Memories:

1946] Debuted on this date: Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis make their debut as a comedy act at Club 500 in Atlantic City...

1952] There's no substitute for doing it yourself: Puerto Rico becomes a self-governing commonwealth of the U.S...

1956] Tragedy at sea: The Stockholm collides with the Andrea Doria off the coast of Nantucket. 1,660 survive but 51, including the crew, goes down with the ship. The Andrea Doria lies in 200 feet of water, 45 miles south of Nantucket. Divers continue to brave the depth and sharks in order to salvage valuables that still remain...

1978] The Yankees pick a lemon: One day after Billy Martin's tearful "resignation", Bob Lemon is chosen to replace him as Yankee manager...

1978] Tubular Belle: Louise Joy Brown, the 1st test-tube baby is born. Louise is a happily married postal employee with an 18-month old daughter who was born naturally. Today Louise celebrates her 29th birthday at her home in Bristol, England...

1990] Rosanne Boo: Rosanne Barr gets booed in San Diego for her disgraceful singing of the 'Star Spangled Banner'. Following her mangling of the song she grabs her crotch and spits on the ground...

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Will YouTube determine the winner of the 2008 Presidential election ???

The YouTube/CNN sponsored presidential debate among the Democrats last night went a long way in determining a forum for future debates. Real people asked real questions. Zach opened the debate with this real question, "Wasssup?" Fortunately there were better questions, like whether the candidates would take the highest elected office at a minimum wage. Here's the response: http://youtube.com/watch?v=sZUZ8oJ9rfQ ...

While there were goofy and downright scary people asking some bizarre questions (a man holding an automatic and asking how the candidates would protect his baby, a snowman asking about global warming) while the candidates went along with the wackos, they were dead serious about real questions coming from people who will be voting for the next president come November 4, 2008. Michael Silberman of the online consulting firm EchoDitto liked this format for a debate, "the greatest innovation of this debate is that we're seeing candidates respond to real voters instead of polished TV personalities." ...

There was no clear-cut winner of this debate but Democratic strategist KikiMcLean said the format got the candidates to speak "in real language, not citing legislative bill numbers."The Republicans get their shot in a similar CNN/YouTube debate on September 17...

YouTube will go a long way toward determining who our next president will be. They already left their mark on politics when Republican George Allen lost his Senate seat after a YouTube video caught him referring to a man of Indian decent as "macaca", an ethnic slur in some countries: http://youtube.com/watch?v=r90z0PMnKwI ...

I can assure you that no presidential candidate will make the same mistake or will they ???10+ Timeline Memories:

1956] Curtains: Following a performance at the Copa, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis split up after a partnership that began 10 years earlier on July 25, 1946. They made their 1st appearance as a team at the 500 Club in Atlantic City...this clip is from the Colgate Comedy Hour: http://youtube.com/watch?v=rNAdBgtjvUA&mode=related&search= ...1965] At the age of 75 and nursing a broken hip, Casey Stengel calls it quits as manager of the New York Mets. The "Old Perfessor" offers this course in 'Stengelese 101": http://youtube.com/watch?v=xqAcbldsWoc ...1978] A tearful Billy Martin gives his famous "One is a born liar, the other a convict" speech. The liar was Reggie Jackson, the convict - George Steinbrenner. With that statement made, Billy Martin "retired" as Yankee manager...2002] The U.S. House expels Rep. James Traficant, D-Ohio, who had been convicted of bribery, racketeering, tax evasion and stealing paper clips...

1969] Splashdown: The Apollo 11 astronauts (Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins) splash down safely in the Pacific Ocean after their historic walk on the moon...

1974] Supremes Rule: The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously rules that Richard Nixon must turn over subpoenaed White House tapes to the Watergate special prosecutor...

1983] The Pine Tar game: A George Brett home run is taken away from him for using too much pine tar on his bat. The score reverts back to 4-3 Yankees. AL President Lee MacPhail overrules the umpires and the home run counts. The game is resumed on August 18th with KC winning the game 5-4 after the Yankees fail to score in the 9th inning...

1995] 80 and still swingin': Frank Sinatra celebrates his 80th year with 3 nights at Carnegie Hall...

1998] Wacko whacks 2: Madman Russell Eugene Weston Jr. bursts into the U.S. Capitol and opens fire killing two police officers. He is later ruled incompetent to stand trial...

2001] A new owner for WTC: Larry A. Silverstein signs a $3.2 billion, 99-year lease on the World Trade Center proving timing is everything...

2003] Snapped: The U.S. releases photos of Odai and Qusai Hussein to prove that they now sleep with the fishes...

2005] Lucky Seven: Lance Armstrong closes out his cycling career with a seventh consecutive Tour de France victory...

[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in each timeline]...

Commentary...

Sadly there are two deaths to report on. Minor league coach Mike Coolbaugh was tragically struck in the head by a foul ball while coaching at first base for the Tulsa Drillers on Sunday. Coolbaugh who had a cup of coffee in the major leagues, playing 44 games, died at the age of 32 with his wife expecting their third child in October...And Tammy Faye Messner, ex-wife of Jim Bakker, died at her home on July 20th, one day after making a live appearance on "The LarryKing Show". Tammy Faye lost an 11-year battle with cancer after shrivelling away to 65 pounds. Messner was 65...

Friday, July 20, 2007

It could happen if the FCC is empowered to take action for just one indiscretion, one expletive, by either a TV or radio broadcaster. The Senate Commerce Committee voted to approve that bill that would give the FCC greater authority then ever to take action against violators. The bill must now be adopted in order for it to be enacted and the NAB won't stand for it...

National Broadcasters Association executive Dennis Wharton will have none of it: "this bill is premised on the notion that broadcasters drop f-bombs and s-words with impunity, that claim is patently false." ...

The FCC policy as it stands now is to not take action against single or fleeting utterances of expletives on the air, as long as those expletives aren't used in a sexually explicit way. The bill will now go to the main Senate floor for further debate and a possible vote...The poster boy for the way indecency laws are now written is George Carlin. In 1973, a listener complained to the FCC that his son had heard a routine, "FilthyWords" from 'Occupation: Foole' on WBAI, the Pacifica Foundation FM station in New York City. Pacifica received a citation from the FCC which sought to fine Pacifica for allegedly violating FCC regulations which prohibited broadcasting "obscene" material. The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the FCC action by a vote of 5-4, ruling that the routine was "indecent but not obscene". From that day on, the FCC had authority to prohibit such broadcasts during hours when children were likely to be among the audience (FCC v. Pacifica Foundation, 438 U.S. 726 (1978)...As recently as 2003, California U.S. Rep. Doug Ose introduced a bill to outlaw the broadcast of Carlin's seven "dirty words", including compound use of any of the words or phrases. For years Carlin has defiantly used the words but only on HBO specials...

So here we go. Will seven "dirty words" be reduced to one? It could happen. For years all programmers lived in fear that one of their jocks would utter an "obscenity" and it would be all over. It may go back to that again. Stand by...

10 Timeline Memories:

1858] Play Ball: All-Star baseball teams from Brooklyn and Manhattan play the 1st in a series of 3 games at Fashion Park Race Course on Long Island. For the 1st time admission (50 cents) is charged for watching a game. It will be 11 more years before the 1st players, the Cincinnati Red Stockings, will get paid to play...

1931] The 1st simulcast: CBS airs the 1st radio and TV simulcast. The show features Kate Smith, George Gershwin and New York City Mayor Jimmy Walker...

1958] Curtains: After a decade on the air, the final episode of "Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts" airs. Stars that cut their musical teeth on this show include Rosemary Clooney, Pat Boone, Steve Lawrence, Connie Francis and Patsy Cline. Elvis Presley flunked his audition in 1955. Here's a parody clip of Jerry Lester doing a take-off on Godfrey: http://youtube.com/watch?v=12DF6mdx_EM&mode=related&search= ...1968] Jane Asher breaks her engagement to Paul McCartney on a live British TV show...1976] HankAaron hits his 755th and final home run off of Angels pitcher JerryAugustine. With Barry Bonds just 2 away from tying the record, what pitcher will give up home run 756??? 1993] White House deputy counsel Vince Foster is found shot to death in a park near Washington, D.C. His death is ruled a suicide...

Timeline Countdown: 7 days until BB HOF induction, 10 days until all NFL training camps are open and 15 days until the NFL HOF induction...

Saturday, July 21, 2007...

10 Timeline Memories:

1925] Scoping it out: The "Monkey Trial" ends in Dayton (TN) with John T.Scopes convicted of violating the state law for teaching "Darwin's theory of evolution". The conviction is later overturned. Scopes was heard muttering "that judge is an ape" as he leaves the courtroom...

1957] Another 1st: Althea Gibson becomes the 1st black woman to win a major U.S. tennis title when she wins the Women's National Clay Court singles competition...

1961] Space Race: Gus Grissom becomes the 2nd American to rocket into a sub-orbital pattern around the Earth on the Liberty Bell 7. Alan Shepard was the 1st...1969] Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin blast off from the moon aboard the lunar module...1998] 74-year old Alan Shepard passes away, a victim of leukemia...

1975] Say it ain't so, Joe: As a member of the Mets, Joe Torre bounces into 4 double-plays. Each time he follows a hit by Felix Millan who wishes Torre would become a manager...

1976] Outbreak: The 1st outbreak of "Legionnaire's" disease is reported in Philadelphia...

1983] Don't let the rain come down: Diana Ross and her fans get drenched in Central Park and an unruly crowd riots in an ugly scene. Over 100 arrests are made...

1987] Check out those legs: Mary Hart of "Entertainment Tonight" has her legs insured by Lloyd's of London for $2 million (her liver for $500,000, her kidneys for $250,000 and her earrings for $100,000)...

1999] Bodies found: Navy divers find the bodies of John F. Kennedy Jr., wife Carolyn and sister-in-law Lauren Bessette in the wreckage of Kennedy's plane in the Atlantic Ocean off the shore of Martha's Vineyard...

2000] Innocent: Special Counsel John C. Danforth concludes "with 100%certainty" that the federal government is innocent of any wrongdoing in the Waco siege that killed 80 members of the Branch Davidian sect near Waco (TX) in 1993...

2002] Chapter 11: WorldCom Inc. files for bankruptcy protection about a month after disclosing it had inflated profits by nearly $4 billion through deceptive accounting...

Timeline Countdown: 6 days until BB HOF induction, 9 days until all NFLtraining camps are open and 14 days until the NFL HOF induction...

Sunday, July 22, 2007...

10 Timeline Memories:

1916] They forgot the "un": During a Preparedness Day parade in San Francisco, a bomb goes off killing 10...

1963] A Sonny day: Sonny Liston defends his heavyweight crown with a KO of Floyd Patterson (for the second time) in one round. The fight in Las Vegas was a rematch of a 1960 fight and here's that round: http://youtube.com/watch?v=4AFvKW8Ghg4 ...

1991] He's busted - we're disgusted: Milwaukee police arrest Jeffrey Dahmer after finding the remains of 11 victims in his apartment. Dahmer confesses to 17 murders and is sentenced to life in prison...

1994] Guilty as charged: O.J. Simpson pleads innocent to the murders of his wife Nicole and her friend Ronald Goldman...1995] Susan Smith is convicted by a jury in Union (SC) of 1st-degree murder for drowning her 2 sons...

2003] Clergy bust: The Massachusetts Attorney General issues a report citing that members of the clergy and others in the Boston Archdiocese probably sexually abused more than 1,000 people over a period of 6 decades...

Thursday, July 19, 2007

Can Radio and the Internet make money together???Better yet, can radio survive without the Internet? This will be the 7th straight year of little or no growth in the $20 billion radio industry but there is hope for 2008, a political year. As Barrington Research analyst James Goss told Reuters earlier this week, "chances are, 2008 will be better due to Internet dollars or nontraditional revenues and political dollars." Clear Channel, CBS Corp. and Emmis Communications Corp. have seen ad revenue growth at radio station Web sites. CBS radio CEO Dan Mason adds, "We're having explosive growth in Web usage and it's indicative of where radio is going in the future." Market analyst David Bank said "there can't be industry growth unless these broadcasters get new advertisers that traditionally haven't used radio and that's why I think Google is the most important thing to watch." ...If you're wondering how much is at stake in political advertising, that revenue potential should hit about $3 billion in 2008, up 40% from 2006. But here's the rub. In 2006, radio only got 8% of the political dollars. Reliable forecast estimates for 2008 have radio getting more than 10% of that $3 billion or as StuOlds of Katz Media Group puts it, "there's a huge opportunity to more than double the dollars in radio to about $300 million in 2008. I think it's a realistic goal." ...One thing for certain - if your station has a website, you better be taking advantage of it. Not only is your website a revenue stream but in addition to ballyhooing your magnificent jock lineup, promotions and music lists, you better be doing social networking, chatting with your audience and linking the Internet to your website. It's time to join the electronic revolution or be left behind...10 Timeline Memories:

1961] Cue up "Bruce Almighty": TWA shows the 1st in-flight movie. I was once on a cross-country flight that showed "Airport". Scary enough, right? I also had another flight on a Whisper Jet and sat next to a Boeing engineer who told me that those planes have been known to lose a wing on occasion. These were two of my most memorable flights...

1966] Wedding Bells: 50-year old Frank Sinatra and 21-year old Mia Farrow tie the knot. Old Blue Eyes had pants older than Mia...1986] Caroline Kennedy, 28-year old daughter of JFK, walks down the aisle with Edwin A. Schlossberg in Centerville (MA), not far from the Kennedy compound...

1967] Cool: The 1st air conditioned NYC subway trains (the "F" train) rolls down the tracks. Thank you MTA...

1969] In orbit: Apollo 11 and astronauts Neil Armstrong, Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin and Michael Collins circle the moon in orbit. On the 20th they touch down...

1976] Olympic magic: Tiny 14-year old Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci scores a perfect 10 on the parallel bars. "Comaneech" becomes an overnight sensation...1980] The Moscow Summer Olympics begin minus about half the nations (including the U.S.) of the world who were boycotting because of Soviet intervention in Afghanistan... 1996] The most recognizable man in the world, Muhammad Ali lights the Olympic torch starting the games in Atlanta and here it is on video: http://youtube.com/watch?v=seF7noys9QQ ...

1982] Going to Hall: Tony Gwynn who is about to join the Baseball Hall of Fame in a couple of weeks, makes his major league debut with 2 hits. Tony goes on to win a record 8 NL batting titles and collect 3,141 hits before retiring in 2001...

1985] NASA goes to school: New Hampshire school teacher Christa McAuliffe is chosen to ride aboard the space shuttle. Christa was on the ill-fated Challenger when it exploded in 1986...

1994] The sky is falling: Four 26-lb. ceiling tiles fall from the roof of the Kingdome in Seattle just hours before a scheduled game...

2005] Just super: The president nominates John Roberts to replace Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor who retires. Instead, Roberts will wind up succeeding Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist, who dies in September...

Music Memories:

1954] Released on this date: "That's All Right(Mama)" - Elvis Presley...

1958] Will the real Drifters please stand up: Drifters mgr. GeorgeTreadwell goes backstage at the Apollo Theater and fires his group. George walks across to the dressing room of the group's opening act, The Crowns and hires them as replacements. The Crowns lead singer? Ben E.King...

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

The Good...The Bad...The Ugly of the Week...The GoodOne of the most popular New England Patriot players of all-time has re-upped for another year. Troy Brown, who never met a position he couldn't play, has signed a one-year contract, his 15th with the Patriots, the only pro team he's ever played for since being drafted in 1993 from ("we are") Marshall. Other candidates include Seve Ballesteros, the great Euro-golfer and winner of five major championships is calling it quits at the age of 50 and Cleveland Indians manager Eric Wedge who just received a three-year contract extension with his team vying for the AL Central championship. I'm giving the nod to Troy Brown whose principal position is receiver for surviving despite a glut of good receivers on this year's Pats. The 'Good Award of the Week' winner: Troy Brown...The BadFormer NBA and Maryland Terp player Lonny Baxter is pleading guilty to shipping guns out of state, a crime punishable by up to 5 years and a $250,000 fine...The Oklahoma Sooners erase all their wins (they went 8-4 and won the Holiday Bowl) from 2005 and lose two scholarships for having 2 players (QB Rhett Bomar and OL J.D. Quinn) kicked off the team for being paid for work they had not performed for a car dealer...Detroit catcher Ivan Rodriguez was suspended for one game and fined for actions in a game against Seattle...Rams CB Fakhir Brown was suspended for the 1st 4 games of the NFL season for a substance abuse bust...KC DE Jared Allen was suspended by the NFL for two games following 2 DUI arrests...Dolphins receiver Chris Chambers was arrested on a DUI over the weekend...The Florida Marlins suspended lefthander ScottOlsen for 2 games without pay for insubordination and conduct detrimental to the team. As always there were far too many 'Bad' boys this week but shipping guns can only lead to devastating results. For that act, Lonny Baxter is this week's 'Bad Award Winner of the Week'...

The UglyThe other shoe drops on Atlanta QB Michael Vick, indicted by a federal grand jury yesterday on charges of sponsoring a dogfighting operation so ugly the losers either died in the pit or sometimes were electrocuted, drowned, hanged or shot. If convicted, Vick and two others named, could face up to 6 years in prison, $350,000 in fines and restitution. Vick should be immediately suspended by the NFL. You can only hope it happens quickly. Other candidates include Rutgers assistant head FB coach Chris Demarest, charged with assaulting a woman at a nightclub over the weekend, U of Minnesota CB Dominic Jones, charged with criminal sexual conduct with a woman who was "physically helpless", U of Miami FB player Jermaine McKenzie, 18, was ticketed after telling troopers he fell asleep while driving. Alcohol was not a factor and finally that poor fan (Paul Robinson) who broke his neck watching a Yankee game at YS when an unidentified man fell from several rows of seats above him and landed on him, squashing him like a grape and breaking his neck at the point where his spine supports his head. The fan was believed to be drunk. What a shock! For being a helpless victim, visiting New York from Kirkland (WA) and merely watching a ballgame only to have the sky fall on him, the allegedly drunk and nameless fan who committed this ugly event is the 'Ugly Award Winner of the Week'...

TGTBTU Update'Bad' poster children, NBA players Ron Artest and Stephen Jackson are both suspended without pay for the 1st 7 NBA games for their most recent legal problems. So what else is new? Houston Astros reliever Chad Qualls lost his appeal of a 3-game suspension for throwing a baseball into the stands...Former NBA star Vin Baker pleaded not guilty to a DUI although failing a sobriety test...Adam "Pacman" Jones is hoping his suspension doesn't keep him out of training camp (and I'm hoping that the next megaball jackpot has my numbers on it). According to league sources, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell did agree to consider allowing Jones to take part in camp but not in exhibitions. Here's my question - Why??? Toss this bum out and don't let him back in for anything. He's facing more charges than my cellphone...most disturbing of all, comes this report that before wrestler Chris Benoit killed his wife, child and then took his own life, he had steroids in him and they had sedatives found in their systems. This is merely horrible if true...10 Timeline Memories:

1927] #1 on the Hit Parade: Ty Cobb playing with the Philadelphia A's collects his 4,000th hit against his former team, the Tigers. Cobb would hold the record for most hits until Pete Rose broke it. Rose wound up with: 4,256 to Cobb's 4,189...

1969] Teddy puts Chappaquiddick on the map: This was the day that MaryJo Kopechne died when Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy lost control of the car he was driving. Mary Jo was just 28...

1969] The 'For Sale' sign goes up: Joe Namath agrees to sell his interest in Bachelor's 3 to stay in the NFL...

1985] Like father, like son: Jack Nicklaus II, makes his pro debut on the golf circuit at the age of 23...

1987] Ty Mattingly: The Yankees' Don Mattingly homers in his 8th consecutive game to tie the major league record set by Dale Long in 1956. Ken Griffey Jr. also tied the mark in 1993...

1992] Wedding Bells: Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown wig-out walking down the aisle in a wedding that featured organic food, loaded with herbs...

1999] Perfecto: Yankee pitcher David Cone pitches a perfect game at YS against the Montreal Expos...

2003] "Happy Trails": Barry White dies of renal failure at 58. In a scene from "Ally McBeal", the cast dances to one of Barry's biggest hits: http://youtube.com/watch?v=lFxbuxOcFL8&mode=related&search= ...2005] Retired General William Westmoreland, commander of U.S. troops in Vietnam, dies of natural causes at 91...

2003] Guilty as charged unless your name is Kobe: Kobe Bryant is charged with sexually assaulting a 19-year old woman at a Colorado Spa. The charge is later dropped because the woman didn't want to go to trial and because the accused was named Kobe Bryant...

Music Memories:

1960] The original version: Hank Ballard & the Midnighters release "The Twist". Chubby Checker's version wouldn't become a hit until later in the year. Here's the original version: http://youtube.com/watch?v=qb-qLIKlS7A ...

Frank Kingston Smith a.k.a. Bobby Mitchell (WRKO) shares this great story on the Apollo-Soyuz linkup I mentioned yesterday: "Why do you jar my memory like that? I was doing afternoons at WHDH and we all had passes to sit anywhere there was a seat at Fenway Park. So there is Bill "Spaceman" Lee, #37, on the mound around 9 p.m., when he wanders out past second base and stares at the starry sky. The second base umpire wanders out next to him and looks at the sky too. "What are you doing?" he inquires. Lee says "Apollo-Soyuz" is supposed to be passing overhead and I wanted to see it"...That's why they called him the "Spaceman". What a character!!!

About Me

Mel Phillips Now & Then is more Now. The Then always follows the Now. Prior to starting 'Remembers' in 2005 and 'Now & Then' on April 7, 2008 I enjoyed a multi-media career which included being one of the Bill Drake program directors. I was involved in the programming of such legendary stations as WOR-FM, WXLO-FM, WNBC, WRKO AM & FM and KQV. I was also General Manager of Hooper Radio, played disc jockey in markets such as Tampa, Nashville, Norfolk and Atlantic City and enjoyed marketing success in syndicated radio for several companies including ABC, MJI and United Stations. My background also includes the music business where I promoted such diverse CBS acts as The Clash, Gloria Estefan, Loverboy, Judas Priest, George Michael & Julio Iglesias. In Special Programming at WCBS-FM I wrote and produced numerous specials and interviewed some of the biggest recording stars. In addition to this post I'm a regular contributor to Radio Daily News. My wife Diane and I reside on the Upper East Side of Manhattan and I'm very proud of my children, Robert Phillips, Lynn Phillips Brough and granddaughters Allyson and Amy...